


Because in the End, All We Are Left With is Memories

by FandomWriter23



Category: X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-15
Updated: 2016-09-17
Packaged: 2018-08-15 02:43:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8039314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FandomWriter23/pseuds/FandomWriter23
Summary: Charles Xavier has been through too much. After losing his mobility after the events of the mission in Cuba, he's a shell of the man he used to be.Finding release in alcohol, he tries to forget all of what he has lost. He tries to move on with his new, broken family.But one man stands in the way of his happiness- the same man who took it away to begin with and broke his family. The same man who had caused Charles to become paralyzed from the waist down- Erik Lehnsherr.Erik has been racked with guilt ever since he had injured Charles- but he doesn't know how bad it is. Not until he runs into the man when they're both trying to rescue a mutant, and he sees that Charles is confined to a wheel chair.





	1. Chapter One

Charles was a mess.

Ever since Cuba, he hasn't been the same. After Moira left, Charles having wiped her memory, he let himself go. He began drinking to try to forget that he had no use of his legs, spiraling downwards into a pit of despair. He wished to forget the time he had spent with Erik; erase his own memories and replace them with something else. Charles knew he couldn't do that, though. He needed to remember what Erik's weaknesses were- what made him tick and what could throw him off his game. He had to know his enemy to calculate his victory.

It was odd to Charles to think of Eric as his enemy, but he couldn't very well think of Erik as his friend, either. Perhaps adversary better suited Erik to Charles.

Charles was sitting in his library now, a glass of scotch in one hand and a book in the other. He spent most of his time reading, the rest of it mostly being spent using Cerebro. The small amount of time Charles wasn't brooding in the library or using Cerebro, he was sleeping and reluctantly eating. Hank usually had to force him to eat.

He sighed and put his book down, pinching the bridge of his nose with frustration. He hadn't been able to get the metal-bending German out of his head since he had met the man, but now it was becoming a hindrance. He took a drink from his glass, then put his glass down. He began rubbing his temples, a headache forming.

The thoughts of his housemates were encasing his mind, swarming him. Ever since Cuba, he also has seemingly lost a bit of his control over his powers, especially when they're thinking so hard. At the moment, they seemed to be discussing Erik and Charles _once again_. They simply couldn't leave something well enough alone.

 _ **Is his slump because of losing Raven or Erik? How close had Charles and Eric been?**_ That thought was from Sean. He was curious, if a bit concerned. Sean always was quite curious. The saying 'curiosity killed the cat' could easily apply to Banshee.

 ** _I hope Charles can move on from Erik._** That was Beast. He seemed to be extremely concerned. He'd had to get over someone, too, after the events in Cuba. He knew how it felt to be abandoned, even if it had been Hank's own fault.

 ** _Charles and Eric had been close... As close as Darwin and I could have been..._** That was from Alex. Alex hadn't been able to let go of his 'friend'. Armando's death had hit the whole team hard, but none more so than Alex, except perhaps Charles and Eric. Darwin had been Charles and Eric's responsibility- they had dragged him into their battle, ultimately causing his demise at the hands of a madman from Eric's past by the name of Sebastian. Thus, guilt had clouded both the men's minds.

Yet Alex and Armando had become extremely close in the short time they had known each other. The two had been inseparable, and Charles had often wondered if it had gone passed merely friendship. It hadn't been Charles's business, so he had never asked. Havok hadn't had time to mourn his close friend, being too busy training to take down the man who had killed Darwin. Charles was sorry for that- everyone deserved to mourn.

"Professor, it's time for dinner." Hank said, coming into the library. Charles sighed, took a last swig of his drink, and rolled his wheelchair over to where Hank stood in the doorway. "Have you had a good day, Professor?" Hank asked, always trying to make sure Professor Xavier was comfortable. Ever since the accident, Hank has had to take care of him, and he took his duties seriously.

Charles, personally, hated it. But it did warm him inside at Hank's protective behavior, even if it did make him feel like an invalid sometimes. "As good a day as it could be." Charles replied with a sigh, not feeling like putting on a façade today. Usually, he would try to be pleasant and act like life was splendid, but after a glass of scotch, accompanied by a horrible headache, he was tired of trying.

Hank remained silent after that, following behind Charles. Hank knew that Charles would throw a fit if Beast tried to do it for him. Charles needed to feel in control in a world where he seemed to have little control now.

Charles and Beast took the elevator- which had been added shortly after the Cuban mission- down to ground level. They went to the kitchen, seeing Havok and Banshee sitting at the table quietly. "How are you doing today, Professor?" Alex asked, standing up quickly to go over to Charles. Charles waved him off, rolling over to the table.

"It has been fine, Mr. Summers. Now, please sit back down. Both of you." Charles said dismissively, and Alex obeyed, going to sit, once again, beside Banshee. Hank followed soon after, sitting in between the Professor, who sat at the end of the table, and Sean.

They passed around the food, each filling their plates. The three students sat in silence, but Charles Xavier could never sit in silence. There would always be eternal chatter in his head. The there's thoughts were broadcasted to the telepath, not giving him a moment's peace as the headache grew.

Charles hardly ate, the other three eating a hearty meal fit for three growing boys. Charles ate a meal-size more fit for a small animal.

Once they all finished their food, Charles quickly made his exit, going to his room on the second floor via the elevator. When he got to his room, he got some pajamas and struggled to put them on in the wheelchair after taking his normal clothes off. When that was done, he lifted himself out of his chair using the gradually growing muscles in his arms and sort of threw himself onto his bed.

He struggled into the bed, using only his arms since his legs were useless. Once he was finally situated, he was left panting from exertion, exhaustion weighing him down.

He eyelids felt heavy, and he soon gave in to exhaustion, falling asleep easily.


	2. Chapter Two

He hadn't intended it to be this way- how could he have? How could he have planned to injury Charles and leave him on that beach? He couldn't. No, Erik had been overwhelmed. He'd felt betrayed that Charles hadn't seen it Erik's way, that he had chose _that woman_ over his own kind- over Erik.

It was supposed to end up with Erik and Charles ruling the world together, saving mutant-kind together. They would have been unstoppable- invincible, even. With their combined forces, Charles's clear-headed logic- his serenity- and Erik's single-mindedness- his rage- no one would have been able to stop them. Except for Charles.

Charles had stopped them.

Erik hadn't predicted that Charles would side with the humans. He hadn't predicted Moira shooting at him, and Erik deflecting the bullet right into his close friend's back. He didn't have a Plan B. He'd just had a plan.

Now, he always had several plans, all over the same scenario, but with subtle differences.

Now, he always had a Plan B.

That was why in that moment, Erik was concocting several plans as he prepared for the next mission. He sat at his desk in his office in complete silence, door closed and locked to keep his team out. Azazel could always teleport in, but he wouldn't. Azazel knew when to leave Magneto alone.

Somewhere in the house, Mystique was probably lying about with Frost, waiting. Erik knew the two women had become close. Frost had softened her icy exterior to the young, insecure, blue-skinned woman. Raven was still the young girl whom Erik had known at the mansion, who had hid behind behind a façade- on the inside, at least. She didn't show it much around her new teammates except for Frost. She couldn't hide from Emma. No one could.

That was also why Magneto had his helmet on. Emma Frost had no respect for boundaries- much like Charles.

Erik cringed at the thought.

He hated that part of Charles- his telepathic ability. It unnerved him. Erik craved privacy. He needed his head to be his own- Shaw had taken everything except his mind from him. His mind needed to stay his own. Plus, Charles didn't deserve to be haunted by the things he might see within Erik's thoughts, his memories.

Erik used to not take off the helmet at all. When Frost first joined their team, Erik had been too paranoid to release his thoughts to the blonde, icy telepath. But when Erik had finally asked her why she had been with Shaw (she hadn't seemed nearly sadistic enough to be so close to a man like Sebastian Shaw) she had stated that Magneto hadn't been Shaw's only victim. That had made Erik trust Emma Frost, if only slightly, and only with his dreams. She must have had the same nightmares; no one withstood the torture of Sebastian Shaw and didn't suffer nightmares, even years later. So, he felt it was safe to take off his helmet to sleep, leaving his nightmares open for her viewing if she decided to peak in-it was her own sanity that she risked.

But, in daylight, he refused to open himself up to that sort of vulnerability.

He heard a knock on the heavy wooden door to his office. He hummed, moving the lock on his door to unlock it, allowing the person in. Raven tentatively stepped into the room, looking shy.

"Hello." She murmured, and Erik only gave a grunt in response. He was tired, and he had never liked being interrupted. "You've been in here a whole day, so I thought I should bring you this." Raven said, revealing what her hands had been holding behind her back- one hand with a plate full of a sandwich and chips and a bottle of water in the other.

He was surprised- only Charles had ever been concerned of his welfare like this. Then again, they were siblings. Charles had probably instilled a parental, protective instinct in the girl. A small smile played on the vengeful mutant's lips, making Mystique smile as well.

He stood and took it from her, giving her a small 'thank you' in return. "It was no problem, really. I just thought our fearless leader needed some sustenance." Raven giggled, and Erik shook his head in amusement at her behavior. He knew he should be more harsh with her, make her see that the training wasn't going to be as soft as it was when they were with Charles Xavier, but he couldn't bare to say it. She was his one true connection to Charles, even if this would make the team slightly weaker. He wanted her to still be able to have fun.

She should still be able to laugh.

If he was Shaw, he wouldn't let her laugh.

Erik was going to be different from Shaw.

"Well, thank you. You may go now." He said, and she hesitated for a moment. She wanted to ask something. "Do you... Miss him?" She asked finally, and he jerked his head so that his eyes met hers. She was genuine, and she also had that stubborn determination in her eyes that she and Charles shared.

"Very much so." Erik finally admitted reluctantly, giving in to the demands as the girl switched her eyes to the wonderful, calm blue of Charles's eyes. She was good. Her eyes switched back to yellow, and Erik glared at her. She smiled, then sauntered out of the room. Where had the confidence suddenly come from?

He collapsed into his chair, taking a chip off the plate he had sat on the desk. He ate the food provided to him and drank the whole water bottle. He'd need the nourishment to finish making these plans.

He spent the next two days holed up in his office, Mystique, being the only one to dare disturb him, bringing him food and water, sometimes coffee, every so often.


End file.
